Hearing aid apparatus and method



Dec. 18, 1962 c. w. sTRzALKowsKl HEARING AID APPARATUS AND METHODOriginal Filed Sept. 8, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 0 IN V EN TUR. CHEAESW57e29u aws- Arraezvfv Dec. 18, 1962 c. w. sTRzALKowsKI 3,068,954

HEARING AID APPARATUS AND METHOD Original Filed Sept. 8, 1952 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 18, 1962 c. w. s'rRzALKowsKl 3,068,954

HEARING AID APPARATUS AND METHOD 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed Sept.8. 1952 QM, @MAM United States Patent Ofi rp v Patented Dec. 18, 1962714,298 11 Claims. (Cl. 181-23) This invention relates to hearing aidapparatus and method, particularly in connection with hearing aid earpiece mountings.

This application is a continuation of my application Ser. No. 308,444,led September 8, 1952 and now abandoned.

The invention is particularly directed to conveying soundinconspicuously to ear drum or other point of perception andaccomplishing this result without reducing the ability of the wearer toreceive directly from their source such sounds as he is capable ofhearing.

In one embodiment of my invention, I provide for a coupling 4of twosound tube sections through a special hole provided through the externalear in immediate proximity to the external auditory canal. From thispoint, the sound may be conveyed indirectly through the externalauditory canal to the ear drum by means of a plug or mold positionedwithin the canal, or sound may be directed toward the external auditorycanal from an external point, and 'through another channel in the moldbe carried directly to the ear drum. Even when a mold with an indirectelectrical transmission is employed, I take pains to provide access tothe external auditory canal for sound waves to reach the canal and eardrum, otherwise than through the electrical reproducing mechanism. Insome forms of apparatus, I provide the mold or plug with separatepassages for direct sound waves. In other forms, I provide a spacearound the outside of the mold or speaker for such access.

Either as av supplement to the connection of the sound tube through aspecial aperture in the outer ear, or as a separate feature, I may usetemples or bows of specially built spectacles as a means of transmittingthe sound waves or supporting portions, or all, of the hearing airapparatus. Further, i'or the concealment of such apparatus, I mayincorporate it into spectacles or an imitation tobacco pipe in suchfashion, if desired, that the sound is transmitted to the bone ratherthan through the auditory canal.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of portions of the head and shoulder of theperson wearing the hearing aid embodying my invention.

FIG. 2 is a detail View, principally in side elevation but partially insection showing in relatively separated positions the component parts ofthe hearing aid shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view in section showing twoparts of the sound channel connected through the special surgicalconduit that has been made through the wearers ear.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary posterior View showing the hearing aid appliedto the rear of the wearers ear.

FIG. 5 is arfragmentary detail View in anterior section showing aspecial form of plug as it is incorporated in the external auditorycanal.

FIG. 6 is a detail view partially in perspective and partially insection Showing the same mold or plug.

FIG. 7 is a view in side elevation showing the external appearance ofa'moditied type of mold which does not use or need the surgicalapproach.

VFIG'. 8 is a view on an enlarged scale taken in section on line 8 8 ofFIG. 7 showing two of the direct external auditory canal.

sound conduits which are disposed at vantage points peripherally spacedaround the channel of the indirect electrical conduit.

FIG. 9 is a detail view in posterior cross section showing amodiiication wherein the mold may be terminated anywhere in the externalear. From its distal end then the sounds would be carried directly byair waves to the ear drum.

FIG. 10 is a detail view partially in side elevation and partially insection showing a telescopically yieldable connection between thereproducer and the sound conduit, this being a modification of thedevice disclosed in FIGS. l and 2.

FIG. 11 shows in fragmentary perspective the use of a spectacle templeor bow in conjunction with a sectional sound conduit such as that shownin FIGS. 2 and 3.

FIG. 12 fragmentarily illustrates in perspective a modified embodimentof FIG. ll.

FIG. 13 shows a further modified spectacle and hearing aid combination.

FIG. 14 is a view in side elevation showing a further modifiedembodiment of the invention. v

FIG. l5 is a View in rear elevation of the device shown in FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 fragmentarily illustrates in perspective a further modiedspectacle and hearing aid combination.

FIG. 17 is a View on an enlarged scale taken in section online 1.7-17 ofFIG. 16.

FIG. 18 is a view in axial section through a hearing aid organized toresemble a smoking pipe.

According to the embodiment shown in FIGS. l to 6, a mold 20 is made toiit into the external auditory canal 21 as shown in FIG. 5. This mold isso designed as to provide a free opening at 22 for air conducted soundwaves in order that these may have direct access to the Opening into theside of the passage 22 desirably near the inner end thereof, is aconduit 23 for indirect electrically reproduced sound waves. Thisconduit enters through a lateral extension 24 of plug 20. Due in part tothe opening 22, and to the fact that nothing is visible in the outer earother than extension 24, the hearing aid is much less conspicuous thanmight be supposed from FIG. 1. The extension 24 is not only small butflesh-colored and tends to be quite largely obscured by the conformationof the wearers ear. This is particularly true in View of the fact thatit does not lead outwardly Ibut leads to a point within the cavumconchae of the ear through which a special aperture is surgicallyprovided at 25, as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

While the perforated ear 26 forms no part of the pres-- ent invention,the means by which such aperture is made may be brielly described. Theouter ear 26 is comprised of cartilage-perichondrium, subcutaneoustissue, and skin at 27, as shown in FIG. 3. Surgically, the conduit 25has been made by folding back a ap of skin from the posterior surface ofthe ear, cutting out a piece of cartilage, replacing the skin over theopening and suturing it so that it heals adherently to the anteriorskin. After healing time the tissue is pierced by cautery through thecenter of the opening, formed in the cartilage. This leaves an openingwhich is lined with skin and perichonlrium to protect the cartilage asis clearly shown in At the proximal end of extension 24, the conduit 23terminates in a connection 28 desirably somewhat tapered, as in FIG. 3,to receive a correspondingly tapered terminal portion 29 of a maleconnector '30 which extends through the opening 2-5 in the outer ear 26.Connector 30 is mounted on a fitting 32 inconspicuously fitted to FIG.4. This tting has a tubular lower connection 33 3 from which passage 34leads through the iitting and its male connector portion 30, therebycommunicating with passage 23 as best shown in FiG. 3. The opposingfaces of fitting 32 and ear mold extension 24 constitute shouldersbetween which the perforated portion of the outer ear is disposed.

The reproducer 35 receives impulses in the usual way through theelectrical wiring at 36. The reproducer may conveniently be providedwith a snap fastener button 37 for which a snap fastener socket '38 isattached at any desired point to the users clothing 39. From the soundbox 40 of the reproducer extends a tube 41, the end of which is sleevedon to stern 33 of tting 32 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. In order to keeptube 41 relatively straight, while at the same time accommodatingmovement of the wearers head, I may provide a light helical spring at 43which encircles tube 41 and tends to retain it; but readily yieldsresiliently to permit it to be bent into an arc as shown in FIG. 2.

The arrangement described is one in which practically nothing of thehearing aid is visible other than tube 471, the sound box 35 beingconcealed within portions of the wearers clothing, the connection fromthe tube to the member 24 being made through the outer ear, and mem ber24 lbeing almost invisible within the ear. The sound received by thewearer is of relatively high fidelity and, at the same time, issupplemented by such sound as directly reaches the ear drum. The passage22 is not only open for the reception of air-transmitted sound but alsotends to improve the quality of reception. It also provides forperception of sound direction.

FIG. 9 shows how the connection through the outer ear may 4be usedwithout any mold inserted in the auditory canal. In this instance, themale stem Sti connects with an upright speaker element 24@ which issubstituted for the part 24 as above described. The distal end of thisupright has a concave sound reflector 4S directed toward the externalauditory canal 21 and spaced laterally from the canal to provide anopening 220 through which air-transmitted sound waves can reach theexternal auditory canal. Speaker element 240 has a passage at 230 fordischarging in the direction of the external auditory canal the soundwaves transmitted through the tube system from the reproducer. r.Thispassage communicates with the passage 34 of titting 32 as abovedescribed.

An arrangement for admitting air-borne sound waves independently ofthose originating at the reproducer may be used with more conventionaltubing organizations for conducting the sound from the reproducer. Thus,in FIGS. 7, 8, the tube 41 from the reproducer connects to a tube 411which, instead of passing through a surgical aperture in the outer ear,extends over the ear in conventional fashion and is thrust into thetubular core 46 of a plug 201 which is integral with 'fitting 241 in theconcha. `Qne or more openings at 221 between core 46 and plug 20^1permit air-borne sound waves to enter the external auditory canal andthey eliminate the development of any pressures within the externalauditory canal such as are experienced when the external auditory canalis completely closed by a mold of the type with which the presenthearing aid reproducers are ordinarily equipped.

FlG. l shows a special reproducer connection which may lbe substitutedfor the coil shown at 43 in FIG. 2. In FIG. l0, the reproducer isgenerally the same as that above described, but the outlet from itssound chamber is upwardly directed at 47 and has an exten sion tube 48within which a head 49 on conduit 41 has a sliding lit, whereby theoverall distance between the reproducer and the connection to thewearers ear is varied by telescopic movement of the ends of conduit 41within tubular extension 48. This is made practical by reason of thefact that the plug in the external auditory canal does not seal or stopthe end of the canal, the latter remaining open to the atmosphere as bythe passage 22 75 in FIG. 5 or the opening 2213 in FIG. 9 or thepassages 221 in FIGS. 7 and 8.

FIGS. 14 and l5 disclose an arrangement in which the reproducer isrendered inconspicuous by making it in the form of an earring 356 heldto the lobe of the wearers ear by a clamp 376 and connected by the shortlength of tube 416 with the posterior fitting v32 above described. Insuch a device, all that is visible is the inconspicuous mold 24, theearring 356 in which the reproducer is built, and the wiring 36 from theamplifier.

In order to provide a fixed reference point for that portion of thehearing aid which is positioned in or upon the wearers ear, I may employthe wearers spectacles as suggested in FIGS. 1l to 13 and 16 and 17. Inthe construction shown in FIG. ll, there is nothing unconventional aboutthe spectacles except the fact that the temple or bow i is provided atits rear end with a short length of tubing7 51 which may pass throughit, if desired, `being provided at 332 with a tubular portion projectingto receive connection with sound tube 411 and being provided at 302 withangularly arranged male connector adapted to project through an openingin the outer ear and in all respects to perform the same function as thecorresponding part 30 in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3. The arrangement andconnections of the reproducer and the two arms of the ear mold may beidentical with the disclosure in FIGS. l to 6.

FIG. 12 suggests how the tube 41 can be dispensed with, the end portionof the temple or bow 503 of the spectacles having the reproducer 35mounted directly thereto to lie behind the outer ear in directcommunication through the conduit S13 with the male connector 363. Inthis arrangement, the only externally visible part of the reproducer isthe wiring at 36. The two arms of the mold 24 and 2u within the outerear and the external auditory canal will be as shown and described abovein connection with FIGS. l to 6.

In the device shown in FIG. 13, the microphone 55 is mounted on thespectacle bridge 56 and wired to the batteries S7, 5S in temple 59 andto a volume control and switch 66 and amplifier 61 in temple 62. Thereproducer 354 is located at the end of temple 62 and has a maleconnector 3-@4 projecting at an angle to penetrate the surgical aperturein the outer ear for connection with arms 24 and 2t), within the outerear and external auditory canal as shown and described in connectionwith FIGS. 1 to 6. It will be observed that all of the parts ot thishearing aid device are either in the ear or built into or carried uponthe spectacles, thus requiring no microphone or wiring to any other partof the body. In this device, as in all previously described embodiments,one or both sides of the outer ear are engaged by the faces or shouldersof portions of the appliance, the tubular connecting parts beingtelescopically engaged with one or both of them passing through theouter ear.

Where the hearing aid microphone, amplifier, battery and controls arethus built into the spectacles, it is also possible to transmit soundfrom the reproducer 355- directly into the bone of the head, as shown inFIGS. 16 and 17. The wall 66 is held by the temple 65 in direct contactwith that portion 67 of the wearers head which lies directly behind theear and which is hard enough to transmit readily through the bone of theskull the vibrations developed by the voice coil 68 in attracting thearmature 69.

FIG. 18 suggests an arrangement in which a complete hearing aid is builtinto a simulated tobacco pipe having a bowl portion 7d, a stem portion71 and a bit 72. The microphone 556 is built into the mouth of the bowlportion 70. The amplifier 616 is built into the bowl. The volume controland switch 606 is built into the outer end of the stern in front of thebowl. the B battery 586 and the A battery 576 are located within thestem 71 and a tubular plug is at 73 within the stem carries a relativelyheavy armature 74. The voice coils 75 are in proximity to the armatureto establish vibrations therein which are readily perceptible in the bitand transmitted therefrom by direct conduction through the teeth andjaws of `the user.

I claim:

1. In a hearing aid of the character described for use with a surgicallyperforated outer ear, the combination of male and female conduitelements adapted for telescopic connection, one of said elementscomprising a tting adapted to have its major portion posteriorly of theouter ear and the other comprising a fitting adapted to have its majorportion within the outer ear, both said iittings having portionsmaterially larger than the male conduit element and having opposedsurfaces spaced by substantially the thickness of the outer ear toreceive the outer ear between them and to abut the ear at opposite sidesof said perforation, said fittings having complementary passages forproviding a continuous conduit through the ear perforation uponconnection of said elements.

2. Thedevice of claim 1, in which said other tting element comprises aplug adapted to be iitted in the auditory canal of the ear, and alateral extension of said plug adapted to extend along the concha of theear toward said perforation, said plug and extension having connectingchannels for communicating with said conduit to convey sound to theauditory canal.

3. The device of claim 1 in which the iitting of said one elementcomprises a spectacle temple adapted to t behind the outer ear and fromwhich said one conduit element projects forwardly.

4. A hearing aid device adapted for attachment to an ear having anapertured posterior outer ear portion and comprising in combination, areproducer having a sound transmitting conduit with a terminal fittingfor extending behind the apertured posterior portion of the outer ear,an ear plug comprising a sound transmitting conduit, said plug includinga first portion engaging the ear in such a position as to direct soundfrom said second named conduit into the auditory canal of the ear and asecond portion for extending toward said ear aperture, said terminalfitting being adapted to lie at the opposite side of the ear aperturefrom the terminal fitting of the reproducer conduit, and means forinterconnecting said terminal fittings through said ear aperture.

5. The device of claim 4 in which one of said fittings comprises ahollow tube which is adapted to extend through said ear aperture and theother fitting comprises a hollow tube adapted to be telescopicallyreceived over said irst named tube.

6. The device of claim 5 in which both said fittings have shouldersadapted for engagement with the ear at opposite sides of the aperture toanchor the fittings to the ear.

7. In a hearing aid device adapted for use by a person having his outerear provided with an aperture laterally proximate to his inner earopening, said device comprising an ear plug for said opening having alateral inlet extension leading to said plug from the vicinity of theouter ear aperture and communicating through said plug with the innerear opening, and a sound transmitting conduit extending through saidouter ear aperture and in telescopic sleeved connection with said inletextension and having a sound reproducer connection with said conduit forcommunicating sound through the outer ear aperture and said extension tothe inner ear of the wearer.

8. The device of claim 7 in which said extension and conduit havefrictionally engaged complementary parts whereof at least one isprovided with a shoulder in engagement with `the outer ear.

9. The device of claim 7 in further combination with a spectacle templeto which the sound reproducer connection is attached.

10. The device of claim 7 in which the sound reproducer connection ismounted on said conduit to be supported thereby directly behind theouter ear.

11. The device of claim 7 in further combination With an earring havingmeans for connecting it to the lobe of the ear and to which earring saidsound reproducer connection is attached.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS113,031 Edge Mar. 28, 1871 229,581 Boning July 6, 1880 2,207,705 CoxJuly 16, 1940 2,312,534 Fiene Mar. 2, 1943 2,377,739 Wyckoi June 5, 19452,506,116 Starkey May 2, 1950 2,506,490 Coley May 2, 1950 2,738,850Tooker Mar. 20, 1956 2,739,660 French Mar. 27, 1956

